Chris 'Fox' Wallace (Poker Pro, Coach and Author) - Ask Me Anything!

[Andyreas]

The money just isn't as good for me online as it used to be, though the games on WSOP are definitely better than they were a couple years ago. I really miss the days when the money was good online and I could just make a living from home.

Hi Chris, thank you for this AMA.

I wonder what has changed over the years such that it's harder to make a living out of it?

 

[Spanks]

Hey CardsChat! I've just joined the team to write news and strategy articles and take photos at big events. I thought I would celebrate by doing an AMA here on the forums.

I have been playing poker professionally for almost twenty years, have written two books on the subject, worked for numerous training sites, and coached hundreds of students. I also won the WSOP $10k HORSE in 2014 for over half a million dollars and have made two deep runs in the WSOP main event.

If you have questions about poker strategy, life as a pro, bankroll management, mixed games, tournaments, photography, writing, guitars, or the best places to eat in Vegas, I'm here to help.

My new book, Short Stack Ninja, was an Amazon Best Seller in it's first month and continues to get great reviews.

Hi Chris,

Do you ever find yourself getting board in times when the run of cards is poor and lengthy? What do you do yo help stop yourself from getting into hands out of boredom?

Thanks in advance
Spanks

 

[davidjavi31]

What do you recommend to play cash or tournaments, I am currently playing cash with. But I would love to know your opinion.

 

[Tato Ivan]

Hi CardSchat! I've just joined the team to write news and strategy articles, as well as photograph major events. I thought I'd celebrate this by having an AMA here on the forums.

I've been playing poker professionally for almost twenty years, writing two books on the subject, working on numerous training sites, and coaching hundreds of students. I also won the WSOP $10k HORSE in 2014, earning over half a million dollars, and participated in the WSOP Main Event twice.

If you have questions about poker strategy, life as a pro, bankroll management, mixed games, tournaments, photography, writing, guitars or the best restaurants in Vegas, I'm here to help.

My new Short Stack Ninja book became a bestseller on Amazon in its first month and continues to receive great reviews.

How do you feel about making a poker movie?

 

[pariurisportive88]

which tournaments or cash games are more profitable?

 

[Tato Ivan]

How do you feel about making a poker movie?

Thanks for the answer!

Molly game?

 

[Rvstam]

how many buyins a professional has to play in tournaments.

 

[hilary antonik filho]

Welcome to CC, I will follow all your posts, I hope to learn a lot more.

 

[Lana5959]

Hey CardSchat! I just joined the team to write news and strategy articles and take pictures of major events. I thought I would celebrate by doing an AMA here on the forums.

I have been playing professional poker for almost twenty years, I have written two books on the subject, worked for numerous training sites and have trained hundreds of students. I also won the WSOP $10k HORSE in 2014 for over half a million dollars and did two deep samples in the main event of the WSOP.

If you have questions about poker strategy, living as a pro, bankroll management, mixed games, tournaments, photography, writing, guitars or the best places to eat in Vegas, I'm here to help.

My new book, Short Stack Ninja , was an Amazon bestseller in its first month and continues to receive great reviews.

Hey, I've been playing online poker for five years, but I have a problem with the patience I need to have in the game, and I want to improve that

 

[BrunoFabri01]

Do you have any tips to share with people who are starting to play poker with the intention of becoming a pro?

 

[AcesHighAGMA]

Hey CardsChat! I've just joined the team to write news and strategy articles and take photos at big events. I thought I would celebrate by doing an AMA here on the forums.

I have been playing poker professionally for almost twenty years, have written two books on the subject, worked for numerous training sites, and coached hundreds of students. I also won the WSOP $10k HORSE in 2014 for over half a million dollars and have made two deep runs in the WSOP main event.

If you have questions about poker strategy, life as a pro, bankroll management, mixed games, tournaments, photography, writing, guitars, or the best places to eat in Vegas, I'm here to help.

My new book, Short Stack Ninja, was an Amazon Best Seller in it's first month and continues to get great reviews.

Hey Chris!!! I was wondering your thoughts on 2-7 single draw? Is this a game an inexperienced player should delve into, or focus strictly on one type of poker first until comfortable, then try branching out?

Also, when you flop lets say a full house, on a rainbow board, what advice would you give if you're UTG+1, in order to try and draw any action? Should I check to the river, or should I small bet? It happened to me 3 times so far, and im never sure how to play that hand specifically.

 

[AcesHighAGMA]

Hey, I've been playing online poker for five years, but I have a problem with the patience I need to have in the game, and I want to improve that

Just from me personally, I was the same. Super aggressive late game as I didnt like the pacing. What I've done is I toss some music, something soothing to you, on in the background. If youre live, put in headphones to drown everything out. Some tournaments, especially live, go on for days, so sometimes if you have the chips, maybe sit out a few hands, and get up to walk around.

I'll let Chris give you better advice, thiese are just little things I have felt help me.

 

[Nokaut men 1997]

Hello Cris!
Since I must not ask you a serious question then at least let me ask you how a woman, how children?

 

[hcuervo]

Hi Chris, I'm from Formosa Argentina, a question when I have double KK and the community cards show an A, and they bet a lot, it's good to keep betting or it's not worth it anymore, it happens to me many times and I don't know whether to risk

 

[fernandofcp]

Dear ChrisFoxWallace, very nice your poker experience. I hope that one day I can visit Las Vegas and play poker there. I'm getting your new Short Stack Ninja book so I can learn more. Thanks for your willingness to help.

 

[Samury]

Hello, I would like you to give me some advice that will help me when in poker tournaments, I would mainly like some advice for surviving long tournaments with many players. Any advice can be valuable to me. Thank you

 

[ChrisFoxWallace]

Hi Chris, thank you for this AMA.

I wonder what has changed over the years such that it's harder to make a living out of it?

The rake is the same, or higher, while the mistakes that opponents make are smaller. If you were very good fifteen years ago, you could beat a $2/5 game for $75 an hour and pay $20 per hour in rake for a net of $55 per hour. Now a very good player can beat a $2/5 game here in Vegas for $50 an hour, pay the same $20 in rake, and make $30 per hour. And a player who used to make a very small profit would now be a losing player. I'm a much better player than I was ten years ago, but I make less per hour in cash games because the fish have improved too.

 

[ChrisFoxWallace]

Hello, I would like you to give me some advice that will help me when in poker tournaments, I would mainly like some advice for surviving long tournaments with many players. Any advice can be valuable to me. Thank you

In big fields, it's important to not gamble too much, and to make sure to play hands with bad players. In a big field, there is a supply of bad players that doesn't run out for a long time, so make sure to get their money. Other than that, you just have to improve at every poker skill and win more money in pots you win and lose less in the pots you lose in order to have a better chance to survive longer. Knowing how and when to be aggressive near the bubble to build a big stack is also an important skill in tournaments with a big field because most of the big money is still very far away and ICM isn't that important, but your opponents will be playing like it is very important to cash.

 

[ChrisFoxWallace]

Hi Chris, I'm from Formosa Argentina, a question when I have double KK and the community cards show an A, and they bet a lot, it's good to keep betting or it's not worth it anymore, it happens to me many times and I don't know whether to risk

If you are playing well preflop you should have the betting lead and people won't be betting into you. If someone wants to play a big pot with an ace on the board, it's usually best to fold if you don't have a big hand yourself, and KK is not very good on an ace high board.

 

[ChrisFoxWallace]

Hello Cris!
Since I must not ask you a serious question then at least let me ask you how a woman, how children?

I live with my wife Jordan in Las Vegas. she is an amazing person and also a poker player. No children for me, though we may get a dog soon.

 

[ChrisFoxWallace]

Just from me personally, I was the same. Super aggressive late game as I didnt like the pacing. What I've done is I toss some music, something soothing to you, on in the background. If youre live, put in headphones to drown everything out. Some tournaments, especially live, go on for days, so sometimes if you have the chips, maybe sit out a few hands, and get up to walk around.

I'll let Chris give you better advice, thiese are just little things I have felt help me.

Honestly, that's all great advice. Keep yourself interested and regulate your mood with music. I sometimes listen to podcasts or audio books too, or start conversations with other players at the table.

 

[ChrisFoxWallace]

Hey Chris!!! I was wondering your thoughts on 2-7 single draw? Is this a game an inexperienced player should delve into, or focus strictly on one type of poker first until comfortable, then try branching out?

Also, when you flop lets say a full house, on a rainbow board, what advice would you give if you're UTG+1, in order to try and draw any action? Should I check to the river, or should I small bet? It happened to me 3 times so far, and im never sure how to play that hand specifically.

Single draw is a game of chips, and very much like no-limit holdem, but with only two betting rounds and a ton of action. Studying another game is never a bad thing, though it's tough to find a lot of single draw games in most places, so you may be wasting your time if you really work hard on that game and neglect your holdem or Omaha game.

You should be betting often enough that when you bet your opponents don't immediately run away in fear. If you flop a monster like a full house you should be trying to win a big pot by betting. I bet small, around 25% of the pot, on many flops, so my opponents won't be surprised to see me do this and won't know that I have flopped a big hand. If you bet and they fold, then they weren't going to put much more money in anyway.

 

[ChrisFoxWallace]

Do you have any tips to share with people who are starting to play poker with the intention of becoming a pro?

Generally my advice is not to do it. Poker is a great side hustle, a wonderful part time hobby that makes you money, but it isn't a good full time job for almost anyone. If you are determined to try it, then don't quit your job until you are an established and consistent winner of a lot of money. A good rule is that you shouldn't quit your job unless you are making so much playing poker for a whole year that going to work seems ridiculous.

Other than that, study really hard and keep improving. Join coaching sites, read books, and hire a poker coach. Study until you have the equivalent to a college degree in poker.

 

[ChrisFoxWallace]

Hey, I've been playing online poker for five years, but I have a problem with the patience I need to have in the game, and I want to improve that

If poker is boring, do something else and come back when you are interested in poker again. You can also try to do things at the table that keep your mind occupied, or add more tables if you are playing online. And know that any time you lose patience and just put your chips in when you shouldn't, you are giving up and essentially quitting. That is called a punt. Never punt. Just never do it. Tell yourself now that you don't punt anymore ever, not one time ever again, it's just not an option anymore. That helped me.

 

[ChrisFoxWallace]

how many buyins a professional has to play in tournaments.

It depends on the size of the tournament, but at least 50. In bigger fields more like 200. In huge fields like a big online site, maybe 400.